Story idea? Where do you begin?

[DaBlaRR]

I'm spamming these threads. But as long as it's writing related, isn't this what it's for?

This is more of an opinion then a question, but would still like thoughts.

I probably spent a good 15 years with stories in my head. Some of which I started to put on paper and almost always abandoned very early.

I read this and that about how to create a story.

There were different writers who said, do an outline. All of them having their own technique.

I tried this. I have started and ended some outlines. Some really quickly when I lost interest and some that could have been a few chapters if I didn’t waste my time doing it.

For my current WIP I said F*ck it. I’m just gonna throw the story on paper, and now I am closer to a finished project than I have ever been. And this time it WILL be finished.

Then there is the thing I read on more than one occasion, about different writers saying write a bio about your character that will probably never be seen/heard in the actual writing.

I did that a few times in the past. But I found I was making sh*t up about some dude or chick I didn’t know. I just wrote stuff about them for the sake of it.

I found with just throwing my words down, with a general idea of some of the struggles they have in life and where they would like to get to made them make me know just who the hell they are. And I had no choice but to speak through their words, actions etc. and give them that voice. Not because I told them that is supposed to be their voice, through a pre-determined bio, but rather, it’s what they spoke back to me.

Outlining only dictates a fake voice.

So my point is… I HATE writing outlines. I write to create, but not to CREATE. Understand? It’s my creation, but I kind of want to be the kindling to get the fire started, but then let it burn in the direction it wants to. Then that leads me to finally putting it out. How long that takes, or how I do it, is determined by the circumstance I didn’t and couldn’t predict.

An outline or bio’s before the Character even walks in the shoes of a person in his position, was my biggest road block because I found it unnatural.

May work for some, but not for me.

Do any of you map out your story/characters before diving into your work?

[John Oberon]

Not me.

[K.S. Crooks]

I see writing a story like going on a road trip. I need to know where I'm (or my characters) are starting, where they will end up and some things they will do during the trip. I like to know the major events of my story, but the times between or what happens while the characters go from one location to another are written in the moment. Writing this way for me prevents writer's block. There is still the occasion where I don't know what to write for a section of the story, but I have the option to leave it and write the next section and go back after because I know where the story is going. I never have weeks of not knowing what to write. I often have the opposite feeling, like I'm holding my characters back because I don't write fast enough or set aside enough time for my story. The point is to figure out what works for you and keep the writing fun.

For myself there are five key things I have found that help me create an outline.
1) What is the goal. Am I creating a new world, new scenario. What about the situation I’m writing about needs to be explained.
2) Describing characters appearances, showing their personalities, the relationships they have with each other, what do they do for a living, etc. Comparable to a how a real person gets introduced to a different family or the first few times.
3) Where are the characters mentally, emotionally and physically (their location) at the beginning of the story. Where do you want to be in all of these areas at the end of the story? How will they make it to where you want them to go and how long should it take?
4) What are the obstacles you want the characters to have, whether they be physical, mental or emotional.
5) Using a map. When I create a new fantasy world, I need to know where places are located. For this I make my own map of that world. If my story is set in the real world then I would use a real map. If a character lives in Paris France and is travelling by horse or car to Madrid Spain then the map tells you what to write in terms of the route they take, places they may visit or places to have encounters. A map helps the story write itself.

[DaBlaRR]

I see writing a story like going on a road trip. I need to know where I'm (or my characters) are starting, where they will end up and some things they will do during the trip. I like to know the major events of my story, but the times between or what happens while the characters go from one location to another are written in the moment. Writing this way for me prevents writer's block. There is still the occasion where I don't know what to write for a section of the story, but I have the option to leave it and write the next section and go back after because I know where the story is going. I never have weeks of not knowing what to write. I often have the opposite feeling, like I'm holding my characters back because I don't write fast enough or set aside enough time for my story. The point is to figure out what works for you and keep the writing fun.

For myself there are five key things I have found that help me create an outline.
1) What is the goal. Am I creating a new world, new scenario. What about the situation I’m writing about needs to be explained.
2) Describing characters appearances, showing their personalities, the relationships they have with each other, what do they do for a living, etc. Comparable to a how a real person gets introduced to a different family or the first few times.
3) Where are the characters mentally, emotionally and physically (their location) at the beginning of the story. Where do you want to be in all of these areas at the end of the story? How will they make it to where you want them to go and how long should it take?
4) What are the obstacles you want the characters to have, whether they be physical, mental or emotional.
5) Using a map. When I create a new fantasy world, I need to know where places are located. For this I make my own map of that world. If my story is set in the real world then I would use a real map. If a character lives in Paris France and is travelling by horse or car to Madrid Spain then the map tells you what to write in terms of the route they take, places they may visit or places to have encounters. A map helps the story write itself.

Interesting you use the road trip analogy because I could use the same analogy.

I did a road trip about 7 years ago around North America. I had 3 main destinations. But the rest of the way I winged it and just went where the road lead me, with little or no planning.

And that is how I wrote. Same analogy, but I suppose we also take road trips differently.

[Rogue Mutt]

Interesting you use the road trip analogy because I could use the same analogy.

I did a road trip about 7 years ago around North America. I had 3 main destinations. But the rest of the way I winged it and just went where the road lead me, with little or no planning.

And that is how I wrote. Same analogy, but I suppose we also take road trips differently.

As a third example last year I went on a road trip. I knew the first leg was Seattle but I didn't plan the whole thing out. Instead the night before I'd estimate how far I could get (estimating for gas and travel time) and then find a motel on Hotwire or Hotels.com, which would be my goal the next day. So there was some planning and some freelancing.